Roosevelt County woman arrested for child abuse

February 29, 2008

Freedom New Mexico

The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 32-year-old Roosevelt County woman Friday morning for child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, a first-degree felony, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Alicia Dean is being held in the Roosevelt County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash only bond.

Dean’s 2-year-old daughter has been at the University Medical Center Burn Unit in Lubbock since Feb. 14 with second-degree burns and will require skin grafts and operations to treat the injuries, according to the news release.

Chief Deputy Malin Parker said the child’s injuries were caused by hot water.

The sheriff’s office began investigating the incident after Dean took her daughter to the Roosevelt General Hospital emergency room with severe burns across her buttocks and the back of her lower legs, according to the news release. Dean told authorities the child, while unattended, had climbed into the bathtub as it was filling with hot water, the release said.

Sheriff Darren Hooker said Dean’s explanation was inconsistent with the injuries to the child, according to the news release. Hooker said during the investigation, it was determined that the child had soiled herself and the mother reportedly had started the bath water in order to clean her, according to the news release.

The child was placed in the custody of the Children Youth and Families Department as a result of the injuries, according to the news release.

Three of Dean’s other children were placed in CYFD custody as a result of the investigation, Parker said.

Hooker said if convicted, Dean could face up to 18 years in prison, according to the news release.